


A Quail's Egg or Two

by zarabithia



Category: DCU Animated, Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons)
Genre: Community: dcu_freeforall, Community: fanbingo, Domesticity, F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-01
Updated: 2011-03-01
Packaged: 2017-10-16 21:12:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/169400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zarabithia/pseuds/zarabithia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Her leniency may be because he is her son and it may be because he is the last true connection she has to the world she gave up for this one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Quail's Egg or Two

~*~

  
 _"Spiders and sowbugs and beetles and crickets,  
Slugs from the roses and ticks from the thickets,  
Grasshoppers, snails, and a quail's egg or two—  
All to be regurgitated for you._

 _Lullaby, lullaby, swindles and schemes,  
Flying's not near as much fun as it seems."  
— Peter S. Beagle_

~*~

For the past two months, Rex has been in the stage of toddlerhood where he hasn't exactly figured out _why_ his father is so easily disturbed when Rex strips his clothes off and spends the rest of the afternoon streaking through his father's apartment. But two years old is old enough to relish in his father's embarrassment and the shrieks of pure joy Rex lets loose as he sheds his clothing are clear, piercing, and loud enough that Shayera firmly believes people in Metropolis who are _not_ Superman can hear him.

John is never very amused by Rex's recent nudity antics, and on this particularly Tuesday, when he returns Rex to the Boston apartment that Shayera shares with Diana, he finds a way to express concerns about the potential nudity colony that Rex may someday join. The comments are at least half in jest, and at least half completely serious, in the way that first made Shayera fall completely in love with the father of her child.

More than once, if a certain Hawkman's history is to be believed.

But these days the only remaining aspect of their relationship is their son, and in response to John's concerns, Shayera touches his cheek with a lingering affection that is primarily platonic, and reminds, "That's not what you saw in the future, was it?"

John's eyes soften, and Shayera pretends not to notice the wrinkles around his eyes that didn't used to be there, and she spares only a passing thought to how long it will be until Diana starts doing the same to her.

"The future can change," is all John admits.

"And it only took you two failed marriages to figure that out," Shayera quips. She fully intends for her smile to take some of the sting out of her words.

"You are the only person I know that can make me actually appreciate Wally's sense of humor," John tells her, as though she can't tell what a complete lie that is.

There isn't a person standing in the living room that doesn't appreciate the Flash's humor, including the two-year-old trying to squirm out of both his father's arms and his own clothes.

"Are you implying that Wally has a better sense of humor than I do?" Shayera raises an eyebrow.

"It might be crossing my mind."

"As long as you accept that Diana has better legs than you do." John gives an indignant snort, but Shayera's attention turns to her son. Rex has decided, as he often does, that his father's arms are too firm to escape from, and has turned his attention to pleading with Shayera to take him.

She tells her son "no" firmly and often, but never when his little chubby arms reach for her. As Rex tumbles gratefully into her arms, John leans over and kisses him on the forehead.

"Bye, bye, bye!" Rex waves dutifully and continues to shout his good-byes over his parents, as they make arrangements for the following week.

After John leaves, Rex stares at the door, and looks like he could give a good cry about the situation. Then he promptly removes his shirt and tosses it triumphantly on the floor. "Naked!" he tells Shayera jubilantly, followed quickly by an insistent "Down!" Shayera grants the wish.

Promptly, he continues to strip down to his diaper and run through the house. After several minutes, he returns, a quizzical expression on his face. "Diana bye bye?"

Rex loves Diana a great deal. Shayera suspects this is only _partially_ because Diana sees nothing at all out of the ordinary about children streaking through the house only partially clothed. The women on Themyscira once permitted her to do it and Diana sees no issue with allowing Rex to do the same.

Someday, Shayera will tell John this, just to watch his frustration. For bonus amusement, Shayera hopes Wally is in the room at the same time.

"Diana has princessy stuff to do," Shayera tells him. "She will be home soon enough."

"Flying?" he asks, and again his arms reach up for her. "Mommy and Rex fly!"

It's hardly a request that she can deny him, and Shayera doesn't even try. Because it is a particularly warm summer day, she doesn't make him get dressed before they depart, either.

Her leniency may be because he is her son and it may be because he is the last true connection she has to the world she gave up for this one.

Of course, it might also be because he lacks wings of his own. As they fly through the clouds together, Shayera presses her fingers lightly along his spine, just where his wings might be, had his parentage been different. His chubby fingers cling tightly to her own, blissfully unaware of the loss that Shayera mourns for him.

She takes his cheerful demeanor as a sign that she is doing something right. She tries to stop worrying about the flights he won't take and focus on the happiness of his current flight, instead.


End file.
